Spooktacular Halloween Happenings. Our List of Not-so-Scary Events!

Hi everyone!

It’s Winnie writing for the week again! In a blink of an eye, it’s almost time to take out the costumes, and grab a few bags of candy. You guessed it! Halloween’s back!

A traditional Halloween may not be the best thing for very young kids. When my daughter was little, I remember taking her to a couple of Halloween events and 10 minutes into it, we had to leave. She was terrified of the dark and the spooky costumes worn by the older kids. Luckily, nowadays there are lots of Halloween events around here for children that take the best elements (cute costumes, spooky fun, free stuff) and skip the worst (crossing streets, ghoulish costumes, sugar highs). Read on for our list of parades and parties. Have fun!

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BUT BEFORE WE GET STARTED: If you have a kid that does not want to take part in any Halloween festivities , we have a super fun alternative - Dinosaurs After Dark in Leonia, NJ. It’s Jurassic Park come alive! Picture yourself and your family walking through a dinosaur trail in the dark (with flashlights!), searching for a full-size T-Rex and trying to find your way out of a maze. As you go deep into the field, there are a few surprises along the way! At the end of the night, everyone will gather together to watch a musical, and topping it off with roasting marshmallows and drinking hot chocolate over a campfire.

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17

Hastings-on-Hudson Halloween Spooktacular
Hastings-on-Hudson, 6pm - 10pm, FREE

Enjoy Hasting-on-Hudson’s annual Halloween Spooktacular event, featuring pumpkin carving, haunted house, window painting, parades, and more.


SATURDAY, OCTOBER 19

Cross County Mall's Halloween Spooktacular
Yonkers, 10am & 1pm, FREE

Free! The Halloween Spooktacular includes Trick-or-Treating throughout the mall, Halloween Arts & Crafts, DJ Dance Party, Story Time and Inflatable Maze & Bounce House.

Halloween Train Show
2610 Amawalk Road, Katonah, 11am-4pm, $10 per adult, $5 per child 12 and under

Come see dozens of toy trains chugging through a miniature world in this annual model train display in the decorated main house. You can also stroll through the Conservatory, meet Louie the T-Rex, visit the Veterans Museum Exhibit, get lost in the Halloween Crazy Maze, and enjoy entertainment such as music, face painting, beer tasting, and food for purchase.

HarvestFest on the Hill
Ridge Hill, 1 Ridge Hill Blvd, Yonkers, 12pm - 7pm, FREE ADMISSION

HarvestFest includes Treat-or-Treating, sing alongs & dancing, and pumpkin decorating. You can also enjoy sing-alongs, dancing and entertainment such as live band and pumpkin carving demos.

Fall Foliage Festival
Broadway Field, Hawthorne, 11am - 3pm, FREE ADMISSION

This family event features fames, rides, pumpkin decorating, face painting and more. Music by Frankenstein’s Baby.

Spooktoberfest
Hart's Brook Park and Reserve, Hartsdale, 12:00pm-4:30pm, $6 (kids under 2 free)

The event will consist of a Halloween hayride, children’s entertainment, games, music, and food vendors. All parking for this event will be at Ridge Road Park.


SUNDAY, OCTOBER 20

Rye Town Park Fall Festival
95 Dearborn Avenue, Rye, 11am - 3pm, $10 per child, Free for adult and children under 3

This third annual festival will feature musical performances by Songs for Seeds, a petting zoo, arts and crafts organized by the Rye Arts Center, and a hay ride! 

Larchmont Ragamuffin Parade
Larchmont & Palmer Avenues, 2:00pm - 3:00pm, FREE

Line up begins at 1:45 PM on the corner of Larchmont & Palmer Avenues and will start at 2:00 PM Sharp.

Spooktacular
1 Harbor Island Park, Mamaroneck, 10:30am - 4:00pm, FREE

Ghosts and goblins will be all around our Village as we celebrate Halloween in this Spooktacular! Starting with a holiday tradition, window decorating from 10:30am to 12:00pm, continuing with a costume parade, assembling at Mamaroneck and Halstead Avenues at 12:00pm and marching to Harbor Island where the fun continues starting at 1pm! Ride the hayride to the Haunted House. Enjoy craft activities at the Kid's Korner.

Chappaqua Ragamuffin Parade
Chappaqua Train Station, Carnival at 12:00pm - 4:30pm, Parade at 3:30pm, FREE ADMISSION

Join us for our Annual Ragamuffin Parade & Carnival!! Carnival begins at 12:00pm! Join us for rides, food, and great music! Line up your little ones in their best costumes for the Parade, kicking off at 3:30pm!

Chloe’s Kids Halloween Brunch
400 Westchester Ave, Port Chester, 10:30am - 12:00pm, $25 per child.

Sign up today for the Chloe's Kids annual Halloween Brunch Party! Live music, food, and fun for young families (kids 0-3 welcome). Tickets must be purchased in advance


WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23

Halloween Crafts
Ruth Keeler Memorial Library, North Salem, 4pm - 5pm, FREE

Weave a spider web and decorate masks and goodie bags. For all ages, free and no registration


FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25

Boo n’ Brew
Jefferson Valley Mall, Yorktown Heights, 5pm - 9pm, FREE

Keep calm and carry a wand, because Boo ‘n Brew is back! Activities include Food Trucks, Live Music, Peekskill Brewery Beer Garden + Games, a Giant Hay Maze, Trunk-or-Treat, Glow-in-the Dark Slime Making with Pizzazzles, Virtual Reality Pop-up and Raffle with Imagine VR Studios, Apple Cider Making/Tasting, Bouncy Houses, Vendors, Face Painting with Fidelis Care, and so much more!!!


SATURDAY, OCTOBER 26

Boo Walk
Muscoot Farm, Katonah, 1pm, FREE

Go on a Halloween-themed scavenger hunt around the farm, then claim a Halloween treat at the end as your prize. Children are encouraged to come in costume.

Halloween Party with Wolves!
Wolf Conservation Center, South Salem, 11:00am - 12:30pm, $14 Adults, $11 Children under 12

Trick or treat! Join ambassador wolves Alawa, Nikai and Zephyr for the WCC’s Halloween Party! Our Ambassador wolves don’t do tricks but sharing a howl is always a treat. Holiday appropriate goodies will be offered to our guests and our wolves! Guests will also potentially behold critically endangered red wolves and Mexican gray wolves too. Costumes are strongly encouraged! Pre-registration is required. 

New Rochelle Costume Parade and Fall Festival
1 Library Green, New Rochelle, 9:45am, FREE

It's a Halloween party complete with a downtown parade, pumpkin painting, and (not-so-spooky) fun on Library Green. Line-up for the annual Merchant’s Urchins Parade begins at 9:45 am and parade starts at 10:00 am at New Street, New Roc City (in front of Regal Cinema). Parade ends at Library Green, where the party begins. A DJ will be spinning great music for a spooktacular dance party. Pumpkin painting, Halloween crafts and other activities to follow! Free treat bags for those in costume.

Children's Halloween Party
Pound Ridge Library, 217 Westchester Avenue, Pound Ridge, 11:00am, FREE

Come to the Library and show off your Halloween costumes!! Our "Library Wizard" will read Halloween stories and sing Halloween songs!! Afterward, march proudly outside the Library in your costumes! Halloween souvenirs and refreshments will then be served! This promises to be a fun, exciting event for the entire family.

Trunk-or-Treat Halloween Festival
Ardsley Middle School & Pascone Park, 1:45pm, FREE

Children will assemble at the Ardsley Middle School parking lot and march down to Pascone Park. The Key Club will run their Halloween Festival outdoors at the park. Games, candy, activities and lots of fun.  Any parents interested in handing out candy from their car trunks, please contact the Recreation Dept at 693-8012. In case of inclement weather, the event will be held at the Community Center.


Nyack Halloween Parade
Memorial Park, Piermont Avenue, NY, 2:00pm - 8:00pm, FREE

Nyack's Halloween parade is the second largest parade behind New York City. You can find floats, marching bands, a roller derby, live entertainment etc. The parade starts at Memorial Park and proceeds along Main Street and Broadway. Line up along the route for a view.

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SUNDAY, OCTOBER 27

My Gym Dobbs Ferry Halloween Party
43 Hamilton Street, Dobbs Ferry, 3pm - 6:45pm, Members: $3 donation, Nonmembers: $15

Dress up in your favorite costume and join us for Halloween-themed songs, games, a costume parade, and silly-spooky fun! We’ve decorated the entire gym to make it exciting for the kids, and every child will get a goody bag! To help us in supporting ALL children, $3 of each admission will be donated to the My Gym Challenged America Foundation to help kids in need. RSVP online. 3 years & younger: 3:00pm. All ages: 4:15pm, 3 years and older: 5:30pm.

Irvington Halloween Parade
Irvington, 3pm, FREE

Line up at 3pm. Parade will begin at 3:15pm at Immaculate Conception Church and end at Main Street School.
Music and treat bags provided courtesy of The Irvington Fire Company.

Eastchester Ragamuffin Parade
Eastchester Middle School, 2pm, FREE

Join us for a fun-filled walk from Eastchester Middle School to Town Hall where you will enjoy snacks provided by the Eastchester Little League. The parade is open to all pre-schoolers through 6th graders. Once at Town Hall join us for a spooktacular dance party. A DJ will play Halloween favorites and dance songs for all to enjoy. All participants will receive a goody bag.

Katonah Halloween Parade
Tazza Cafe on Katonah Avenue, 3:15pm - 5:00pm, FREE

A holiday tradition! Costumes, community, cider & donuts. Live music by “Abcent” at 3:15pm. Doggie Ragamuffin Parade (in costume). Petco Doggie Bags for dogs in costume.


Halloween Story & Craft
Muscoot Farm, Katonah, 1pm - 2pm, FREE

Listen to a book about the season and then make a craft in celebration of Halloween! All ages welcome. Please note this is not a drop-off event. Pre-registration required, call (914) 864-7286 to register. 


WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 30

Halloween Fun
Chappaqua Public Library, 4pm - 5pm, FREE

Stories, songs and trick-or-treating in our library. Costumes welcome! (not required) Ages 4-6.

Spooky Tales
Caramoor, Katonah, 3:30pm, $15 adults, $10 kids

Come with your little ones to a riveting storytelling performance to begin your Halloween festivities, followed by a special brew (hot cider) and other ghostly treats (cookies) served in the Summer Dining Room. Come in costume! Prizes given to all! Ages 3–8.

Halloween at the Library
Lewisboro Library, South Salem, 4:30pm - 5pm

All ages. Take your costume for a test run while listening to spooky stories and doing a little trick or treating at the Library. Registration required.


THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31

Ghosts and Goblins and Parade!
Grinton I. Will Library, Yonkers, 4:00pm - 5:00pm, FREE

Come in costume for Halloween songs, stories and a parade around the library.

Halloween on the Farm
Muscoot Farm, Katonah, 10am - 3:30pm, FREE

Stop by the farm in costume and get a treat.

Halloween Trick or Treating
The Westchester Mall, White Plains, 3pm - 8pm, FREE

Your little Gobblins and Ghouls are invited to wear their costumes and trick-or-treat throughout The Westchester,


Trick or Treat at the Warner Library
Warner Library, Tarrytown, 1:00pm-pm, FREE

Come in costume and haunt the library by visiting each desk to get a sweet treat! All ages welcome!

Halloween Party for Tiny Ghouls & Ghosts!
Field Library, Peekskill, 11am - 12pm, FREE

Grab that costume and head on over to The Field Library for a not-too-scary Halloween party for tiny ghouls, ghosts, toads, pumpkins, and witches. Join us for cookie decorating (yum!), a spooky craft, and some Halloween treats. And don't forget to pick out your FREE book!

Lil Chameleon Halloween Party
Lil Chameleon, Tuckahoe, 10:30pm - 12:00pm, $25 per child, $22 additional sibling

Spooky, silly and costumed Lil friends join us to celebrate Halloween.  Fun games, a shadow hunt, music, snacks, costumes and new friends! Advanced registration required.  Space is limited and we hate turning people away! 6 mon - 5 years.

Know of an event that's not on my list? Leave a comment below.

That’s it for this week! Don't forget to check out our exclusive list of every children's library program in WestchesterIt's been updated for Fall 2019, so everything you need to know is in one easy list.

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See you next time!

Winnie